Tama languages
| Tama | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Sepik Riverbasin,Papua New Guinea:just to the south ofNukutown in easternSandaun Province |
| Linguistic classification | Sepik
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | sepi1256 |
 The Sepik languages as classified byFoley(2018) | |
TheTama languagesare a smallfamilyof three clusters of closely related languages of northernPapua New Guinea,spoken just to the south ofNukutown in easternSandaun Province.They are classified as subgroup of theSepik languages.Tamais the word for 'man' in the languages that make up this group.
Yessan-MayoandMehekare the best documented Tama languages.[1]
Languages
[edit]Usher (2020) classifies the Tama languages as follows,[2]
- Tama
Foley(2018), followingDonald Laycock,provides the following classification.[1]
- Tama
Kalou is actually related toAmal.[3]
Phonology
[edit]The Tama languages distinguish /r/ and /l/, unlike many other Papuan languages that have only oneliquid consonant.[1]
Vocabulary comparison
[edit]The following basic vocabulary words are from Laycock (1968),[4]as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.[5]
The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g.suwa,huwafor “leg” ) or not (e.g.namra,waprayfor “eye” ).
gloss Mehek Pahi Yessan-Mayo[6] Yessan-Mayo (Warasai dialect) head terfa taraʔwey tara ear namra wapray wan wan eye lakwo niaʔwey la; lə la nose wiliŋki fikihinwi raŋkɨ; raŋki haŋki tooth mpi piaʔwey lər; lir rir tongue tawul tafəki tawlə kawul leg suwa huwa towa; warə sowa louse nunum nunum nɨ; ni niʔ dog wala waʔay wala wale pig for bird fenre feydey ap apu egg lakwo yaʔwey yen; yɨn yan blood kefu nefum nap nap bone yefa yefa yaha skin liki fuhum was breast muku muwi mu; mukw mukw tree moː muy me meʔ man tama tama tama; tamə kama woman tawa tawa taː ka sun nampul napuy yabəl; yampəl yampəl moon nekwa nefʔa lup; lɨyf lüp water okwu oʔwi ok; okw okw fire kiri irʔi k-er; kər kər stone arkwo hijopey pa papə eat a(m) one wurɨ two lisifu fes kes
References
[edit]- ^abcFoley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.).The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide.The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432.ISBN978-3-11-028642-7.
- ^Tama,New Guinea World
- ^Amal–Kalou,New Guinea World
- ^Laycock, Donald C.1968. Languages of the Lumi Subdistrict (West Sepik District), New Guinea.Oceanic Linguistics,7 (1): 36-66.
- ^Greenhill, Simon (2016)."TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea".Retrieved2020-11-05.
- ^Foley, W.A. "Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin". In Pawley, A., Attenborough, R., Golson, J. and Hide, R. editors,Papuan Pasts: Cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples.PL-572:109-144. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 2005.
- Ross, Malcolm(2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages". InAndrew Pawley;Robert Attenborough; Robin Hide; Jack Golson (eds.).Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples.Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 15–66.ISBN0858835622.OCLC67292782.